Sulthan Bathery Municipality has urged the government to adopt steps to capture a tiger that has been triggering panic among residents for the past one month.
A resolution passed by the municipal council on Wednesday said sightings of the big cat were reported from various human habitats within the municipal limits, including Dottappankulam, Cheenappullu, Kattayadu, Poothikkadu and Beenachi areas, in a month.
A few days ago, villagers had sighted the animal on a plantation near Dottappankulam while it was eating the carcass of a wild boar.
“Hundreds of families live in the areas, and the recurring presence of the tiger has triggered panic among them,” said T.K. Ramesh, Chairman, Sulthan Bathery Municipality.
Most residents in the area are daily wage earners, and they are not able to go out, Mr. Ramesh said. The Forest department should adopt steps to capture the animal, thereby protecting lives and property, he said. If officials failed to adopt steps in two days, the councillors would launch an agitation with the public support, he added.
Meanwhile, the Forest department said it had set up 10 surveillance cameras to watch the movement of the tiger but was yet to receive any images.
A team of officials, including members of the Rapid Response Team and staff of the sanctuary and South Wayanad Forest Division are on a search for the tiger, sources said.
Officials also submitted a proposal to the Chief Wildlife Warden to grant permission to constitute a monitoring committee to identify and capture the predator as per the norms of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, sources added.
